Saint Gobain - Registration document 2016

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2 ONE AMBITION: TO IMPROVE THE WELL-BEING OF ALL
5. A Group organization to serve customer and market needs
46 SAINT-GOBAIN - REGISTRATION DOCUMENT 2016
Providing customers with the information necessary for
their purchase decision
give its customers all the information they need. The brands
The Building Distribution Sector is constantly innovating to
websites. New sites have been launched and new digital
are enhancing the product information available on their
customer journey, from initial inspiration to after-sales.
services have been made available, covering the entire
customer testimonials, tutorials on fitting, etc. Showrooms, a
in sales outlets, are also becoming mobile, with the
source of inspiration for customers and traditionally located
introduction of roaming display trucks.
relationships and sales staff providing advice to customers.
In traditional sales channels, communication is based on
channels, with online catalogs, video demonstrations,
The Sector’s brands are enhancing this information via digital
simulators, advice from professionals on websites or social
appointment bookings with a sales specialist, project
media, augmented reality tools, etc.
The Sector is continuing with the development of services to
efficiency and create productivity gains for them: online
simplify its customers’ journeys, improve their day-to-day
to purchase products and services via their mobile
The brands are also developing the option for their customers
services, or select a delivery method. In France, they can now
applications, request construction waste management
tradespeople. Homeowners can use it to select the best
access an intermediation platform for homeowners and
can increase their visibility and develop their business.
qualified tradespeople for their project, while tradespeople
sales outlets.
services, such as the use of iBeacons (1) technology in certain
The Sector offers its customers increasingly innovative
more detailed understanding of their customers, whose use
These multiple interactions provide the brands with an ever
records 90 million visits per year across all its websites. The
of digital technology is increasing. As a result, the Sector
browsing behavior, and are used by the brands as a basis for
data gathered are used to analyze customers’ purchasing and
emails, for example.
new product and customized service offerings, via targeted
Customer satisfaction at the heart of the Sector’s strategy
example, in the use of digital tools or how products are used)
The Sector’s brands invest in training for their employees (for
better support for their customers. They also contribute to
in order to improve their performance, thereby cultivating
through training, with free morning information sessions on
increasing the level of professionalism in the building trade
qualifications, e-learning to supplement knowledge on energy
new standards and regulations, refresher training leading to
books.
retrofitting, and self-paced training using practical guides and
measuring customer satisfaction, via the Internet, by phone or
Many brands have introduced on- and offline tools for
enable the brands to develop their product and service lines
directly in sales outlets. The results gathered day-to-day
in real time.
Segmentation: a response for every customer
needs and take hold of growth levers to diversify their
and products or invest in new markets. The brands identify
them, who work with key accounts, are developing in the oil
businesses. Thus, the civil engineering specialists amongst
supplying products from a sales outlet located close to the
market. They are also investing in the fish-farming industry,
prefabricated market, with products such as showers, roofing
ponds. Other specialist brands are investing in the
and structural components.
type of customer. Whether these responses relate to service
The Sector has introduced customized responses for every
needs or specific products, the brands develop new concepts
aging, the Sector has launched a new brand devoted more
store in Paris, France.
broadly to accessibility for all in living places, with its first
In anticipation of the major social issue posed by population
in Europe housing eight brands under one roof, the Sector is
As with its initiative in France, where it created the first mall
shared spaces for several brands, offering a comprehensive,
continuing with the development in the United Kingdom of
centralized product line to save customers time.
reference brands in each of these product categories, and
structural work and tooling markets. They are positioned as
and compliance. The Building Distribution Sector also caters
fulfill strict specifications which guarantee product quality
terms of efficiency and value for money.
for the needs of customers with specific requirements in
The Sector has enhanced its product offering by developing
international private labels for the sanitaryware-heating,
High value-added logistics services
customers to collect materials from the nearest sales outlet at
friendly way. For example, the Click & Collect system allows
short notice.
The Sector offers diverse logistics services, organizing the
customers in a more fluid, efficient and environmentally
routing of materials to increasingly time-pressed, demanding
By pooling their logistics centers, the brands can optimize
integrated logistics solutions, offering customers end-to-end
materials to waste collection.
logistics for a construction or renovation site, from delivery of
different sales outlets, for continuous improvement in terms
their stock management and carefully control supply to the
that thousands of order lines can be processed every day,
of product availability. Automation of the centers also means
certain major conurbations. The brands are also developing
reducing delivery times to 24 hours, and even just 1 hour in
Small Bluetooth terminals which can communicate with mobile telephones. (1)